Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-11-03

ago time.
When young Jack left for the West al
many bravc-hearted fellow had done be
fore-to seek his fortune, little Alice Hal'
had bade him fearful farewell at the old
weather-b beaten gate, In the shade Of th'
dropping elm tree.
just now as he wrote, Jack seemed 10 se'
again the sweet, tear-wet face, and 20 inhal'
once more the perfume of the odorous, bios
somed-ladened lilacs.
There had been no formal declaration oI
love, but each read the heart of the Other
and Jack knew that little Alice would wal
for him till fortune smiled upon him.
His meager salary, carefully saved had
been judiciously invested in land, and had
accumulated the nuclens of little fortune
At the base of the great round-topped mound
which was partly on his tract of land, q
coal mine had been discovered. Already
Eastern capitalists had made him an offeI
for IL, and it was understood that, should
he desire TO part with it, the railroad com
pany would take it off his hands Mt goodly
advance. Taking all things into considera-
ton, he felt himself justified i'm writing Il
Alice and telling her his love i'm terms Al
strong rs could be expressed by soulless pen
and paper.
He smiled softly to himself rs he wrote
and pictured the sweet face of the recipient
Somehow the prairie breeze, that blew iu
at the red-cafed window, seemed laddened
with the perfume of lilacs. The "click.
click" of the telegraph saunders seemed
half Echanged TO the buzz of the bumble-bees
that droned lazily around the fragrant old
fashioned flowers beneath that old dropping
elm. And, seeing his friend in happy mood,
the idiot boy laughed alond, he knewnot why.
Bobbles made little progress after learning
TO read. Arithmetic was sealed book to
him, and geography was deep dark mys.
terry. Patiently Jack labored TO teach him
telegraphy, but the task seemed n hopeless
one. He learned readily enough, and ap-
parently forgot just as speedily.
Bobbles would apparently memorize the
dots and dashes that go TO make up the
Morse code He would sound them correct
ly on the key, and Immediately, TO all ap-
pearance, forgot all about the imports OF
dots and dashes.
I'm afraid you are a hopeless case, Jack
said one day when almost ready 20 give up
In despair.
Reckon / am returned Bobbles, grim
ming philosophically. old Joe usto say so.
Said hopeless idiot stead of hopeless case.
'Spect he knowed, too, for he was awful
old most a million, guess.
Feel of my head he said suddenly bend
ing his white-thatched pate for Jacks in
spection.
Feel that dent p
Yes.
We'll, l want allus idiot Old Joe
said SO. He knowed for he was worth most
a million, he was
Jack unused. There was certainly n
dent, rs Bobbles called it, in his head. A
blow of some kind had caused IL probably.
Ii seemed TO him that small piece of the
skull was pressed down upon the brain.
Maybe this was the cause of the lad $ idiocy.
II removed, or rather liftei by physician,
might not il restore the boys lost intelli-
gence ? Jack had read of such cases and
mentally resolved to have the experiment
tried as soon rs the coal mine paid out,
rs the saying is.
The days passed into weeks and the weeks
TO month +; the month grew old, wanned
and died. The next was fast slipping a
way into the past, and still no answer came
TO the tender letter that Jack had sent &c
little Alice Hale, like bark freighted with
a precious cargo of the hearts warmest love
Jacks face constantly wore n worried ap
pearance. The cannon-ball fast mail train
daily rushed by the little station as of yore
but no little square envelopes were tossed
off 10y the mail clerk.
Every day Jacks question OF, ANY let
ter p would be answered by a positive
Noap !! from Bobbles, who was always on
the platform when the cannon-ball rushed
by. Bobbles, the innocent, was always
there to wave his hand in glad recognition
of Engineer Billy Parker or Mike Walsh,
the fireman, and to shake his fist at Hamil-
ton, the conductor, whose kicking was still
fresh in Bobbles' memory. Jack grew pale
and his jolly smile became rarity. No
letter. That meant, he sorrowfully conclu-
ded, that she had not been true TO her half
spoken VOW. And at the thought Jack sad.
ly bent his head and Bohbles, ever watchful,
saw n tear drop from between the station
agents fingers rs he covered his face with
hands.
Hoo ! exclaimed the lad. What you a.
cryin' for p
Then he added, as n thought seemed IL
strike him Somebody ben kickin' you .
YES answered Jack slowly. Somebody
has kicked me very close TO the heart
Boobies stared in owlish wonder. Don't
you think you re pretty big 10 cry about it?'
he said presently.
Then they sat for n long time listening to
the approach of the storm, that for two
hours had been muttering off to the east.
ward. 1t had evidently been a tempest, a
cyclone perhaps, off there but now its pow
er was somewhat spent Still the lightning
that accompanied it was often almost blind
ing in its intensity.
Presently the storm broke, and the thnn
der roarei and crashed NJ is seldom heard
any where but upon the Western plains.
The air seemed surcharged with electricity,
and often there were little points of electric
fire dancing and swapping on the instru-
ments. Hoo 7 cackled Bobbles, most as
good rs Fourth of July Then, while the
storm was ut it's height, there came q hur-
ried, nervous rattling of the sounder.
Number Is calling us 7 Jack cried, and
sprang to the key. He answered the call,
and moment later the sounder began tc
click frantically. Jack grasped y pen and
blank. He had but rapidly jotted down
five words as the sounder clicked them of
when there came binding flash of light
ming, accompanied instantly by deafening
crash of thunder. The bolt seemed to have
exploded in the room, and the flash momen-